SAMUT SAKHON: Police have arrested seven men, including a teenager, for breaking into a hospital emergency room and assaulting an injured patient and his two friends in what police believe to be a spat between rival gangs.
The event erupted at Krathum Baen Hospital on Sunday night. In a similar, but unrelated incident early on Monday, an attack also occurred in Doi Tao Hospital in Chiang Mai, which also caused chaos.
Police nabbed seven men in Samut Sakhon, who they say are just the first group of suspects. "Four or five more are also wanted on arrest warrants," deputy national police chief Chaloemkiat Siworakhan said Tuesday.
The seven have been charged with colluding to commit physical assault and carrying weapons in public, according to Pol Gen Chaloemkiat.
The suspects -- Chakhrit Nokkhamdi, 18, Anurak Phutsiri, 31, Thitiphong Suksawat, 40, Konyawat Bunchu, 36, Natthaphon Rattanaburi, 30, Wathit Prawirat, 27, and Daeng Thaengthong, 28, -- allegedly admitted to the wrongdoing.
An initial investigation found they all have criminal records, including for drugs, robbery and rape offences, Pol Gen Chaloemkiat said.
The suspects were among a group of men who stormed the emergency room in pursuit of three other people -- an injured man and his friends. One attacker was seen using a baseball bat to hit the wounded man and injure the other two, frightening medical staff and patients at the hospital.
Surachet Ananchaisin, 26, suffered severe head and body injuries which required 20 stitches. His two friends -- Newin Paengoen, 24, and Thirayut Chueasuwan, 26 -- sustained minor injuries.
The hospital has now adopted tighter security measures to prevent a recurrence. Doors to inner zones of the hospital will be reinforced and a mobile phone application will be used to allow medical staff to contact police immediately in case of an unwanted event, Krathum Baen Hospital director Chokchai Lithochawalit said.
Permanent secretary for public health Chetsada Chokdamrongsuk has urged hospitals nationwide to be on alert for similar events which can erupt after concerts or festivals in nearby areas.
Hospital staff may need to ask police or soldiers to patrol at these times. Just the sight of a uniform can scare away those with ill-intentions, he said. "A hospital is a place where violence should not occur, so I implore the public to treat them with respect," Mr Chetsada said.
In a separate case, police are questioning three suspects allegedly involved in a physical assault at Doi Tao Hospital in Chiang Mai's Doi Tao district.
The trio were believed to be part of a larger gang who attacked rivals at the hospital after the two sides were earlier seen arguing during the Loy Krathong festivities.
Some were injured in the attack and went to the hospital to be treated. Others from the rival gang followed.
They met again at the hospital and "one group which outnumbered the other started the attack", said Pol Lt Col Achawaphon Suksomphian, chief of Doi Tao police station.
The assault was not severe and there was no damage in the hospital, Pol Lt Col Achawaphon said.
According to an initial investigation, the brawl erupted after the youths had been drinking heavily over the course of the evening and then began hurling insults at each other.